I'm an introverted girl, in a not-so-introverted world.

If you’re a bookworm, you’re probably a Potterhead. And if you’re a Potterhead, you’ve probably been waiting for your Hogwarts Letter since you were 11. Let me tell you, you weren’t the only one! Alas, us poor unfortunate (possibly muggle) souls never received our letter!

But Owl Post has changed that!! This April, their “Magic” themed box brought us the best surprise of all! Our very own Hogwarts letter!

The box arrived at my doorstep and I immediately knew that I was in for yet another magical, mystery ride!

G’aww! What an adorable bunch of illustrations! Anything done Harry Potter style just can’t go wrong now can it!?

Makes you want to weep with joy doesn’t it? Trust me, you will!

More cute illustrations! So as you can guess, this month’s theme was all about magic and the desert!

So we begin with these super awesome badges!

Followed by this adorable Harry Potter key chain!

Not far behind, this gorgeous dream catcher!

And also, this awesome awesome 1/8 necklace!! Mine says “I feel about you makes my heart lone to be free.”

This month’s book happens to be “Rebel of the Sands” by “Alwyn Hamilton”.

And last. But oh.most.definitely not the least.

Owl Post blessed us with our very own Hogwarts letter!! EEEEEEPP!!!!!!!!!!!!

In light of recent events, Owl Post vanished off the face of the earth. I have absolutely nothing to say on the subject but this. Am I shocked that this happened? No I’m not. Am I upset that we will no longer have a book subscription in Pakistan? Yes I am.

I do hope that Owl post comes back after they work out all of the issues and have rectified their mistakes!

As you can probably tell, my copy of To Kill A Mockingbird is quite old and faded. I read this book over 8 years ago and it was literally the first ever Classic that I had gotten my hands on. It’s been a long time, but till this day, I can describe this book in one word. Mesmerizing. Because even at the age of 15, this book taught me so much!

I wish I could say the same for it’s sequel. Which came out 55 years later, when people least expected it to. In my opinion, the original story never required a sequel, but in light of the turns which society has taken since then, a follow up is probably something the author deemed necessary.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. It’s no where near as deep and thought provoking as the prequel, but it poses a strong argument in itself. The general opinion was that Watchman tainted Atticus’s character. But wasn’t that the whole idea? Lee succeeds in making a very significant point. That in the end, people are people. They evolve and shape with time which leads to the evolution and molding of society itself.

I found the flashbacks in the story rather tedious and Jean Louis quite a bit annoying. So if you ask me, To Kill A Mockingbird will probably outlive it’s sequel in the years that follow.

Are you an incurable bookworm? Do you live in Pakistan? Do you like surprises? Well look no further! Pakistan’s very first (bookish) subscription box is here!

I discovered Owl Post on Instagram. And as soon as I read the word book in the description, I knew this was something I was getting no matter how broke I was! I pre-registered myself for their very first subscription box and eagerly waited. And soon enough, a package of happiness arrived on my doorstep!

TA DAA! Isn’t it beautiful? I was absolutely giddy with joy as I carefully attempted to un-box everything.

An old school seal? 10 points to Gryffindor!!

I instantly knew that I was not going to be disappointed!!! SO MANY goodies!!

Based on the theme of Mystery, the first goodie was this gorgeous Sherlock notebook! 100 points to Gryffindor!!

Just when I thought a Sherlock notebook was good, I spotted this Sherlock cookie!! Om nom nom! 500 points to Gryffindor!!

A photo frame, an extremely cool bookmark, a other small trinkets followed. And then….

The big reveal!!! The BOOK chosen by Owl Post for their March box is He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker.

I was a little disappointed to receive a pirated copy. But in light of the cost of the subscription box, I guess it made sense.

This adorable message awaited me at the bottom of the box.

Am I subscribing to the next box by Owl Post? Well, not only have I already subscribed for the April box, I’ve also turned on the auto renewal option and branded myself as a loyal customer! I love books. Truly, deeply and madly. For me, anything remotely related to books is worth spending money on. Was this subscription box worth it’s cost? It was worth much more!! I also loved the fact that each goodie was provided by a different company, which helped bring out many talented people into the eye of the public.

The only issue I had was the overpowering smell of the box, which I’m guessing was caused by the printing ink on the box. Other than that, the cookie was a little stale and it crumbled all over the other goodies. So I wouldn’t recommend an edible goodie in the next subscription box!

Other than that, absolute perfection! I’ve already advertised about their service to everyone I know. So if you too are a bookworm, go subscribe NOW! You shall not be disappointed!

Despite being a 23 year old, I relish my share of Young Adult fiction every now and then. Having had the John Green fever, I had been wondering what was so special about Rainbow Rowell. Because her books seem to be best sellers at every book store I went to. And so I finally picked up Eleanor and Park.

I usually like to slowly devour my books. But this book was one of the few I read in a mere two days. It was that good. Let’s break it down, shall we? It’s a pretty standard “Boy meets Girl” plot. But there are many things that make it stand out. Firstly, the diverse characters were a breath of fresh air. They made the story all that life-like. Because let’s face it. We’ve all grown rather tedious of the love stories between the head cheerleader and captain of the football team.

Although there’s nothing out of the ordinary about Rowell’s writing style, the way she treats her characters is commendable. During certain moments, the relationship between Eleanor and Park seems rather extreme. Which is why, the mention of Romeo and Juliet in the story is absolute genius. It reminds the reader that love can be unreasonable and extreme even if it’s between a pair of 17 year olds.

The conclusion of the story isn’t a happy one, but it is hopeful. Because Rowell leaves it to the reader to assume whatever ending they desire. She ends the story with a question. What can those three words be?

I bet all book lovers out there can agree with me when I say that the book is always better than the movie. Because of course it is. The lack of detail isn’t what bothers me. But the redundant changes in the original plot are what set my teeth on edge. I just have one question. WHY?

The Shining is the first ever novel by Stephan King that I got the chance to read. I watched the movie a while back and it, without a doubt, gave me a good scare. The novel on the other end, despite being only words, was much more terrifying. Did I want to stick it inside the freezer at some point? (Reference from Friends) Yes I did!

Being a sucker for the horror genre, I had my doubts about whether a book could make me afraid of the dark. The Shining certainly did. It was exceptionally well written and the plot was perfectly paced. It neither ran too fast, like the movie. Nor was it slow or tedious. I absolutely loved how smoothly the story was told, making it easily believable. Stephan King provided the perfect amount of details and insight into the minds of the characters letting the readers know exactly what was happening. I look forward to reading more books by this brilliant author.

Paulo Coehlo is best known for bewitching the heart, mind and soul of his readers. His gripping words and relatable characters are exactly what made him a best-selling author. His books, especially The Alchemist are well known to have changed people’s lives. Every reader interprets Paulo’s books in their own personal way, which makes them all that unique.

Adultery on the other hand, fails to live up to the mark. In my opinion, it is easily one of Paulo’s least captivating book. His books seem to have made their way to me at a time I needed them the most and therefore left their mark. The same cannot be said in the case of Adultery. The protagonist is absolutely unrelatable and almost obnoxious. The story lacks the usual depth and meaning. Although the final few pages make an attempt to impress, they fail to make up for the rest of the book.

I for one could not relate to the protagonist nor the experiences narrated in the book. Although it was a story about depression, and illicit desires, it teaches the readers to deal with these impulses by acting upon them. Which is a very unhealthy path to take. Although I wouldn’t recommend this particular book to others, I definitely look forward to my next reading experience with Paulo!

Dystopian novels seem to have taken the modern world by storm. The concept of a Utopian-like future dissolved somewhere around the beginning of the 21st century. And trilogies like The Hunger Games, Maze Runner and Divergent became best sellers. What these books all have in common is their cynical prediction of the Earth’s future. A world where resources will be scarce and personal freedom next to none.

George Orwell predicted a similar glum future over five decades ago with his novel “Nineteen Eighty Four.” The novel, originally written in 1949 tells a story set in the year 1984. In my opinion, this book is no less than pure genius. It introduced numerous concepts which have taken form and predictions that came true in the years that followed. The possible future this book predicts is eerie, dark, even sinister. And what makes is even more terrifying is the realization that the world is well on it’s way to this exact outcome.

I always appreciate a book which gives the reader enough details to recreate an entire world right in their minds. This book certainly does that. It also haunts the reader with a formidable yet very believable tomorrow. It leaves a deep impact on the mind and forces you to mull over what you think you know about power, freedom and peace.